The US topped the list of biggest foreign direct investors in Vietnam, with Americans licensed to conduct 18 projects with a total committed capital of US$980 million in the first quarter, official statistics showed.

The Foreign Investment Agency said the investors had 14 new projects worth $920 million while they had requested that four previously licensed projects be expanded.

Vietnam attracted $2.13 billion from foreign investors who committed to invest $1.9 billion in new projects over the first three months while also luring $215 million in expansions, according to the agency.

The figures represented 40 percent and 94.8 percent declines, respectively, in new and expanded projects year-on-year, it added.

It said the investors disbursed a total of $2,5 billion of the investments over the period.